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1 Welcome to Soil matters , a bimonthly newsletter providing updates and information on soil, weather and industry developments to support on-farm decision making within the SA Murray-Darling Basin. This newsletter will draw together a number of resources including; Bureau of Meteorology seasonal outlook Murray-Darling Basin weather station network SA Murray-Darling Basin soil moisture probe network Upcoming grant, programs and projects relevant to your region This is a newly developed newsletter, we would appreciate any feedback on content and are happy to assist with any inquiries with regards to the featured tools and projects. Please contact Eliza Rieger, Regional Landcare Facilitator on or 0408416684 for more contact Eliza if you would prefer to receive a hard copy of this weather forecastWeather Station NetworkSoil of the monthCollaborative FarmingPhoto of the monthSpring crop walks were held across the Murray Mallee with support from Natural Resources SA Murray-Darling Basin.

2 High rainfall, agile farmers and diverse rotations have led to high yields across the district. Whats on in the region?IN THIS ISSUE:November 2016 | Soil matters | 1 The following information has been sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology Climate Outlook-monthly and seasonal issued on 27 October of exceeding median rainfall (%) There is a there is a 50% chance of median rainfall for the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges over the November 2016-January 2017 period; recorded median rainfall is 78mm. Past accuracy for this district is very low. There is a there is a 50% chance of median rainfall for the SA Murray Mallee over the November 2016 - January 2017 period; recorded median rainfall is 63mm. Past accuracy for this district is low. There is a there is a 50% chance of median rainfall for the Overland Corner over the November 2016-January 2017 period; recorded median rainfall is 53mm. Past accuracy for this district is very low. There is a 60% chance of above average daytime temperatures across the Northern and Eastern Murray Mallee BOM Weather ForecastChance of exceeding median temperature ( C) There is a 60% chance of above average daytime temperatures across the SA Riverland and Rangelands There is a 50% chance of above median maximum temperature for the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges Climate influences include a weakening negative Indian Ocean Dipole, an ENSO-neutral tropical Pacific, and warm seas around northern Australia (see the Climate Influences section).

3 Maximum temperature accuracy is moderate to high over most of Australia, except the south of the Gulf of Carpentaria, where accuracy is | Soil matters | November 2016 SAMDB weather station networkOctober rainfall has been steady across the region providing plant available water to crops during seed development. Wetter conditions has led to an increase in relative humidity and potential pest and disease pressures. High rainfall has been coupled with low temperatures which may slow plant growth and potentially result in a late finish to the season, creating some difficulty when cutting for hay. High levels of ground cover have stabilised soils during periods of high wind and October Conditions:Average daily maximum temperatures for Burra were lower than usual at C; down nearly 10 C from the daily maximum recorded in October 2015. Recorded average soil temperature was 15 C. Low soil temperatures combined with low average degree day value ( ) may have affected crop and pasture root development.

4 Low average daily evapotranspiration values of in combination with high October rainfall ( ) helped to maintain available soil moisture at depth. Average wind speeds have been fairly high with daily averages of and maximums as high as ; high wind speed can have damaging effects on crops, increasing transpiration and causing short term water stress. High relative humidity ( ) may increase pest and disease Creek October Conditions:Cooler October conditions were recorded at the Currency Creek Weather station with an average daily maximum temperature of 30 C and an average soil temperature of C; these values are down from 37 C and C respectively for this time last year. Monthly rainfall was very high for the district with recorded, significantly higher than last year s October total of only 3mm. A relatively low degree day value of highlights the decreased energy available for plant development. Recorded maximum wind speed up to km/h were potentially damaging to crops and pastures however high evapotranspiration rates during these periods have been offset by the high levels of available soil October Conditions:Average daily maximum temperature were also cool in the Waikerie district averaging around 32 C; roughly 5 C cooler than October 2015 records.

5 Cooler temperatures have led to low degree day values with records averaging , half the recorded 2015 value of A combination of low temperature, degree day values, soil temperatures and rainfall may have led to slower than usual crop growth and development in the October Conditions:Sherlock recorded high October rainfall with 45mm up from for October 2015. Higher rainfall has led to an increase in relative humidity with average daily records of Higher humidity in the region may have increased pest and disease pressures. Delta T values averaged providing good spraying conditions for those aiming to combat disease pressure. Sherlock experienced a relatively windy month with average winds of 12km/hour and gusts up to 75km/hour, high wind may have increased crop transpiration rates creating periods of water 2016 | Soil matters | 3SA Murray-Darling Basin Soil Moisture Probe Network: The information below is a dial representation (Dry-Wet) of plant available soil moisture recorded at eight sites from the Natural Resources SA Murray-Darling Basin soil moisture probe network.

6 The information is based on data recorded on 9 October 2016, 9 November 2016 and 9 November 2015. Please note that a full list of soil moisture probes and their associated Plant Available Water Dials within the SA Murray-Darling Basin will be provided in the next edition of Soil matters . The dials below are provided with support from Agriculture Victoria Soil Moisture Monitoring Midslope 25%75%50%DryWetStored soil moisture has remained near full for the past month. Current soil moisture is significantly higher than 2015 Creek Swale25%75%50%DryWetSoil moisture levels have dropped significantly over the last month with 9 November readings indicating the soil is approximately 35% full. Current levels are higher than 2015 Loam25%75%50%DryWetSoil moisture levels have dropped significantly over the month with 9 November levels sitting at approximately 40% full. Current levels are higher than 2015 Midslope 25%75%50%DryWetSoil moisture levels have dropped significantly over the last month with 9 November records sitting under 30% full.

7 Current levels are lower than 2015 records which were nearly full this time last Compass Dryland Midslope25%75%50%DryWetMount Compass has held onto its soil moisture dropping only slightly from last month. Current levels are approximately 55% full, this value is significantly higher than the near dry November 2015 Swale 25%75%50%DryWetSoil moisture levels have dropped significantly over the last month. Soil moisture records at 9 November are currently less than 15% full. Current levels are higher than 2015 Midslope25%75%50%DryWetSoil moisture levels have dropped significantly over the last month. Soil moisture records at 9 November are currently over 50% full. Current levels are significantly lower than near full records for this time last - sandy rise 25%75%50%DryWetSoil moisture levels have dropped significantly over the last month. Soil moisture records at 9 November are currently less than 60% full. Current levels are significantly higher than the approximately 20% full records from this time last year.

8 9 November 2015 9 October 2016 9 November 2016 9 November 2015 9 October 2016 9 November 2016 9 November 2015 9 October 2016 9 November 2016 9 November 2015 9 October 2016 9 November 2016 9 November 2015 9 October 2016 9 November 2016 9 November 2015 9 October 2016 9 November 2016 9 November 2015 9 October 2016 9 November 2016 9 November 2015 9 October 2016 9 November 20164 | Soil matters | November 2016 Soil of the month: Acidic sandy loam over red clay on rockThis soil profile information has been compiled drawing on information from The Soils of Southern South Australia Volume 1 (James Hall, David Maschedt and Bruce Billing).Production: Acidic sandy loam over red clay soil types are widespread in the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges, making up or 73 500ha of South Australia s soils. Usually associated with rocky and hilly terrains these soils predominantly support permanent pastures.

9 The restricted profile drainage and steep sloping geography creates problems for irrigated horticulture and cropping farming : Acidic sandy loam over red clay soils commonly have moderately low inherent fertility. The surface soils have a moderate to high capacity to retain nutrients however this capacity varies greatly with depth (varying from low to high). Topsoils are mostly sandy loam to loamy sand, ranging from 10-30cm thick with limited structure; gravels of basement rock and quartz are common. The subsoil can be strongly acidic causing a chemical impediment to root : Surface soils are mostly firm to hard setting, this may affect germination and increase runoff during summer rainfall events. Perennial grasses and native vegetation can help to slow surface water, in turn this may increase infiltration into the soil profile and decrease the risk of erosion. These soil types are neutral to strongly acidic, to prevent nutrient tie up and the effects of aluminium toxicity it is important to regularly check soil pH and any resulting lime soil types can experience some issues with dispersion and waterlogging, irrigation has the risk of exacerbating waterlogging issues.

10 Seepages are often associated with the soil type; this is a complex land management issue which often requires deep rooted perennial trees, shrubs or perennial grasses within the recharge zone to aid the seasonal distribution of Landscape Water Balance, 17 November 2016 | Soil matters | 5 Collaborative farmingCollaborative Farming in the Eastern Mount Lofty The Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges has a unique combination of skilled farm managers, fertile soils and high annual rainfall, creating suitable conditions for a diverse range of primary production. These conditions are fundamental to the district s capacity to provide local, fresh and sustainable food and the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges is perfectly positioned to act as a destination for premium food production. Peri-urban expansion is a contemporary issue developing in parallel for the same district. Individual properties are being divided into smaller parcels of land which are often difficult to manage as profitable farms and expensive to maintain.